Sacred Playgrounds Podcast

The most impactful ministry just might happen in the under-programmed times, the times sitting by the well (or the campfire) hearing someone's story. When we give our staff members, and even campers themselves, the "how" - meaning the skills and the practice in listening, welcoming, and connecting-building - we give them a gift they can and will take into the rest of life.

On this episode, we chat with Lyle Griner, from Peer Ministry Leadership, who has been equipping people, especially youth and young adults, with vital relational  skills as a key, maybe THE key, ministry practice in our world today. Lyle shares where Peer Ministry Leadership came from, and how the skills he and others have spent decades using to empower ministry in churches and communities, comes to camp through staff and camper training and programming (or sometime de-programming) opportunities.

Learn more about Peer Ministry Leadership and find your way to a staff training experience at peerministry.org. You can also read Lyle's book, Youth Are Either Leading or Leaving, to explore how we can ensure youth know they are deeply needed in the church and the world today.

Download the #StatOfTheWeek

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with our team. Support the podcast. Ask about advertising opportunities. Find us on Facebook & Instagram.

Self-confidence. Leadership. Resilience. Faith in daily life.

These are all character traits we measure. There is real data that says camp in exceptional at building character through the highly experiential, highly relational programs you offer. And that's a good thing, because the research says parents and caregivers care as much about the character being built in their kids as anything else.

On this episode we'll break down what character is from a lens of faith and why it matters at camp. Plus , we'll talk bit about what the American Camp Association and camps like yours are doing to bring another level of intentionality and energy to building character at camp (and  even how you could receive grant funding for your best character-building idea or program).

Stay connected with the Character at Camp Initiative at watch out for the opening of subgrant applications at aca.org.

Download the #StatOfTheWeek

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with our team. Support the podcast. Ask about advertising opportunities. Find us on Facebook & Instagram.

Answer: because kids need a safe place to __________________.
Question: Why Camp?

This question matters to you, camp or church leaders, because it's a question the parents in your world are asking. They have to, for one reason or another. It's because they have a lot of options, and they are assessing the quality of any experience they sign their kids up for. It's because they are committed to making sure the time and dollar investments they make are worth it, and lead to things they want the most for their kids. It's because they want to trust you with their very hearts, and they need to know they can.

On this episode, we'll chat with Anna and Anna, two women who wear m - as moms, church leaders, and camp enthusiasts. We asked them to "put on" each of those hats for a few minutes, sharing experiences and perspectives that resonate with families like the ones you serve.

DOWNLOAD THE #STATOFTHEWEEK

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with our team. Support the podcast. Ask about advertising opportunities. Find us on Facebook & Instagram.

Campy New Year! Our 4th annual New Year's resolutions for camp episode is here! We have a blast with this each year, and we've got 5 fresh data-backed resolutions for camps and their leaders in the year ahead. Here is your keyword teaser:

1. Scripture
2. Enthusiasts
3. Cabin Conversations
4. Noticeably
5. Society

Our #QuickQampQuestion is a fun, personal one, and our #StatOfTheWeek shares the #1 factor for faith retention. Join us for a fun kickoff to the new year and the rest of season 4 of podcast!

Links Referenced:
Merlin Bird ID
2024 Resolutions
Chat with Travis Alison

> Download the #StatOfTheWeek

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with our team. Support the podcast. Ask about advertising opportunities. Find us on Facebook & Instagram.

Happy Advent and Merry Christmas from our sacred playgrounds to yours! We're donning Christmas hats and embracing Advent as we prepare for Jesus to come...to camp!

This season reminds us that our ministries have audiences of influence - those we serve, those who serve with us, and those we impact, sometimes without even knowing it. On this episode, we'll break down how Jesus comes to camp through these different perspectives and connect those audiences to characters in the Christmas story in scripture, being reminded that whatever we do for these who enter our sacred playground, we do for Jesus himself.

Plus, a #QuickQampQuestion on our favorite camp skits. Add yours in the comments anywhere!

> Download the #StatOfTheWeek

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with our team. Support the podcast. Ask about advertising opportunities. Find us on Facebook & Instagram.

Leaders who thrive learn from other leaders.

Recently, Jake and Jared got to participate in and lead workshops at annual camp conferences for Lutheran Outdoor Ministries and the Campfire Collective (PCCCA, OMA-UCC, OMI, + more). They had the chance to sit down with 4 camp leaders from different locales and traditions to gather insightful perspectives and stories on 3 key questions. We asked these leaders to:

• Share something unique or something you love about your camp and/or your role
• Share what might be different about camp ministry in 10 years
• Share about a time when you learned something new, applied it to your ministry successfully, and the impact it made

These leader perspectives and stories match many of yours, and we'd love to hear your answers in the comments on our website, Facebook, or send us a message.

Plus, since it's near Thanksgiving in the USA, we've got a whole "pie" chart for the #StatOfTheWeek. Download the graphics here. 

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with our team. Support the podcast. Ask about advertising opportunities. Find us on Facebook & Instagram.

Sometimes we love to hang out in our camp bubble, don't we? Sometimes even so far as to, at least in part, shut out the outside world. It makes sense, because there's something special about camp being set apart. And yet, we're part of an ecosystem, a culture, a community.

Last week, election day in the United States brought on emotions and actions and reactions across the spectrum. Many have been wrestling with where we stand, what we stand on, and who we stand for.

On this episode, we explore some scripture-based truths around God's call on our lives and ministries, and explore how we lead a Christian camp after an election season like this one.

Links Referenced:
Article - Treat Camp Conference Like Weddings
Romans 12
#StatoftheWeek Download

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with our team. Support the podcast. Ask about advertising opportunities. Find us on Facebook & Instagram.

What's your favorite scary movie? This week, we're embracing the spooky season with our #QuickQampQuestion. Post yours in the comments on our website, Facebook, or Instagram!

On this episode, we've got 3 "scary" things to share about traditions we prioritize and the wellbeing of those we serve. We're sharing one scary story about a still-common camp activity, a scary truth about the campers and staff we work with, and a scary stat about the media and tech-driven realities of adolescents.

The truth is, when we create camp spaces that are safe and unplugged, we give campers and families a gift they sometimes didn't even know they needed, or how deeply they needed it.

Quick Links:
#StatOfTheWeek
Campwell
CDC Mental Health Stats

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with our team. Support the podcast. Ask about advertising opportunities. Find us on Facebook & Instagram.

"The most effective way to get campers this summer is to get last summer's campers to come back."

On this episode, Travis Allison from Go Camp Pro joins us to talk through what's actually effective in recruiting and retaining campers and their families. Built from a sense of frustration that so many camp leaders spend so much time, energy, and money on things that don't work, the Camper Recruitment & Retention Playbook by Travis Allison and Joanna Warren Smith lays out why, and most importantly how, to get campers and keep them coming back through clear, effective communication and intentionally improved experience.

Plus, we've got a Quick Qamp Question answered from Jake and Travis' decades of camp experience on the strategic focus of staff versus camper experience, and an eye-opening Stat of the Week on professional leadership turnover from the Foundation on Jewish Camps. Note: The context of the statistic quoted in the episode is clarified in the graphic below so be sure to download that!

Download the #StatOfTheWeek Graphic
Read More in Our Review of the Camper Recruitment & Retention Playbook
Get Your Copy of the Playbook

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with our team. Support the podcast. Ask about advertising opportunities. Find us on Facebook & Instagram.

A meaningful camp experience can be a powerful catalyst for family faith formation.

That truth is at the heart of the Rhythms of Faith Project, the Lilly Endowment, Inc. funded project that Wheaton College/HoneyRock and Sacred Playgrounds are partnering on. We've spent the last year taking in current and past writing, qualitative and quantitative data, and powerful stories about the impacts of camping ministries on families and the faith formation rooted in home and church life.

On this episode, co-directors Dr. Rob Ribbe and Dr. Jake Sorenson break down 6 promising strategies uncovered in this first phase of the project and share some stories and ways any camp can apply what's been learned so far.

We'll also share a deep #QuickQampQuestion about the risks of camp and if they are worth it. Plus, be sure to download our #StatOfTheWeek sharing parent perspectives on if camp should be equipping and influencing faith at home.

During the episode, we share one ready-to-take action step is to use the promising strategies infographic as a tool to consider what you may be able to apply in your ministry right now and in the months ahead. Download the infographic kit and read more about the promising strategies here.

The Rhythms of Faith Project Phase 2 Sub-grant Request for Proposals is live! Proposals are due October 15, 2024 so be sure to get your camp's submitted to be one of the 9 camps we'll equip and follow for the next 3 years.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with our team. Support the podcast. Ask about advertising opportunities. Find us on Facebook & Instagram.